Newport Beach's Andrew Doheny had a strong showing Wednesday at a surf contest in Puerto Rico, coming in second place at the 4-star ASP event.

Doheny — known for his strong power surfing and innovative maneuvers — came up behind Florida's Cody Thompson at the Rip Curl Puerto Rico but said he was happy with this result.

"It feels really good to make the final," Doheny said in an interview with the Association of Surfing Professionals. "Once I made it that far, the pressure was off. I'm pretty happy to make it as far as I did, and I'm happy with second."

Surfers battled in tough, 4- to 6-foot waves during the event, which drew competitors from around the world, including several from Orange County.

"The conditions have been challenging the whole time, but at the same time it's been kind of cool," Doheny said. "It separates everyone in the lineup and turns it more in to a surf-off rather than a competitive thing. It's been a fun event."

Doheny came close during the final, taking the lead for a period as the clock ticked away. In the end, his total two-wave score was 9.96 — just a few points behind Thompson's 10.10.

Doheny was a standout during the ASP World Junior Series until aging out this year and is now earning points for the World Qualifying Series. This placing will help him to be seeded in future high-level contests.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.